Comparison of the remedial effect of biostimulation and bioaugmentation on the bunker-C oil contaminated tropical sand beach

Abstract

To enhance biodegradation, nutrients in the form of slow release fertilizer (SRF) and bioaugmentation were applied to sand beach contaminated with spilled Bunker-C oil. Although nutrient concentrations in the interstitial water were not proportional to those in amended SRF, growth of microorganisms, microbial respirometric activity and oil-degradation rate measured by TLC/FID were significantly enhanced by the addition of nutrients. Effect of bioaugmentation was obvious during the early phase of treatment but not prolonged to winter season. During the winter season, biodegradation was ceased in all mesocosms. Temperature seemed to be one of the major controlling factors for the biodegradation of spilled oil in the study area.